Guys

If you decide to become sexually active, you need to think through the issues.

Condoms and other birth control methods do not guarantee that your partner will not become pregnant. As a matter of fact, over a million young women in this country face unplanned pregnancies each year.

Think About It

There is also no way to 100% protect yourself or your partner from STDs or STIs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases or Infections). Condoms only reduce your risk of contracting many STDs by 50% and only reduce your risk of getting HIV by 85%.

The emotional consequences of sex are also something to consider. Regret and depression are common. It is also difficult to stop having sex once you start. Once you become sexually active with someone, it is very difficult to continue that relationship without continuing to have sex. It also becomes difficult to not be sexually active in future relationships.

Here are some serious questions a responsible man should ask himself:

If your girlfriend became pregnant, would you leave her? (Unfortunately, many boyfriends do.)

Are you ready to support a child with your time, energy, and money?

Will you go with your girlfriend to tell her parents the news? (Most guys won’t.)

Are you willing to marry her and give your child a two-parent family?

Would you be willing to release your child for an adoption?

Will you put pressure on her to have an abortion? (The majority of boyfriends will.)

Are you willing to learn all about abortion so that you can anticipate possible medical complications and likely relationship problems?

If you are not ready to be a father and commit yourself in marriage to one woman, you should wait to have sex. The pain you can cause to a child and your girlfriend is very real. It happens every day. Be responsible for your actions and exercise your self-control.

Are you sexually active? Is she pregnant already? Pathways is here for men too.

If you are serious about your relationship and desire to be there for your girlfriend, give us a call at 641-628-4827 or 1-800-395-HELP or stop by during office hours. We have trained peer counselors that would love to speak with you and help you understand all of your options. All conversations are completely confidential.

Pregnancy Options

Pathways is here for boyfriends, too.

Are you involved in a pregnancy and think abortion is the only answer?

Abortion is a final decision. It is a serious decision; a medical procedure involving risks to a woman’s body and psyche. Legally, a woman has the right to choose abortion, but she also has the right not to choose it. She has the right to consider her options without undue pressure from people close to her. In reality, she must live with her decision, both physically and psychologically. This is a decision that cannot be changed. Before you encourage this choice, we invite you to meet in confidence with a peer counselor. Know your facts before you encourage a choice.

An informed decision is the best decision for you and for her, and an informed decision can best be made without pressure.

To find out what abortion is, its risks, and what a woman may experience before, during, and after, contact Pathways. We can offer you information on adoption and parenting as well as referrals for legal assistance or questions regarding DNA testing and paternity.

We will also offer ongoing support for any man who needs encouragement and direction for taking responsibility during pregnancy and beyond.

Since abortion is a final decision, we strongly encourage both men and women involved in a pregnancy to seek informative counseling beforehand. However, some men are not able to be part of the decision process. Just as we offer post -abortion counseling for women, we offer peer counseling and support to any man who has been affected by an abortion decision. We have trained peer-counselors that would love to speak with you and help you understand all of your options. All conversations are completely confidential.